MF 165 diesel or gas which is better?

chas036

Member
I am looking for a MF 165 to run my snow blower because of its' low reverse speed which I don't have on my JDs. My question is which is a better quality tractor with less problems , the diesel or the gas?

I found a diesel for $3900 but with a rear engine seal leak. Is this some major to fix?
 
Diesel would be better, you just need to find out how bad the leak is. The older ones with the rope seal just about always mark their its territory no matter what.
 
I think the 175 gas is better. (probably because I have one for sale) The 175 has the Perkins engine whereas you have to get diesel in the 165 to get Perkins. Sounds like it's gonna be a winter tractor....why would you want a diesel, let alone an old diesel for winter use? An easy 60 hp, I'd sell you the 175 for same price...and no leaky seal. E-mail is open if you are interested.
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Nice looking 175. Wish it was diesel, I'd be interested. Once a fellow has used both diesels win hands down. Just install a block heater and winter worries are over with diesel. Gas MAY start better cold, but then there's the choke that has to be played with to keep it running. Dealer I worked for only sold two Perkins gas tractors. The diesels were more trouble free and driver friendly.
 
Would never buy a gas tractor for my own use. Diesel is so much more fuel efficient. Like was said if it gets cold where you live just put an engine heater in it. No worries about the ethanol gasoline problems either. I've seen diesels set for a number of years and start right up.
 
Those little Perkins diesels are great starters when it's cold too. I had a Massey 40b with the 203. I swear that thing would start better than some gas tractors I have. Still have a 175 with the 236. Not quite as good, but still very good.
 
Go diesel. Just make sure you have a spot to plug it in. A lot of my tractors do a lot of sitting around, but the ones that give me the most starting issues are the gasses. Carb problem here, points there, fouled plug. All are cheap minor fixes, but I get no where near the trouble from the diesels. Just rotate the battery tender and plug in if cold.
 
The Perkins AD4.203 was one of the best starting diesels, a bit better than the 236-248. Another good Perkins 4 is both the A4.300 and A4.318, both used an injection pump with the retard start advance block. If the 236 and 248 would have used that feature they would start even better..
 
FWIW here’s my 2 penny’s

I have a 135 gas.... I know that’s is a different model than you asked about but it’s similar.... not apples to oranges but maybe Macintosh apples to Granny Smith apples lol.

Anyhow, my personal experience is the gas models are great, not saying the diesels are not just what I have experienced.

We use our 135 gas in the farm when it’s sub zero for pulling logs out of wet areas when they freeze and plowing snow, spreading manure on the fields etc... anyhow in zero and sub zero our 135 gas has ALWAYS fired right up without any hesitation, no block heater required.

Only negative I have to say is there seems to be some kind of defect in the models with power steering, they tend to break casting, shafts, etc ... not a issue with manual steering models. I know two folks that both have PS MF’s and have broken steering parts when equipped with PS.
 

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